Railroad-car.



No. 835,527. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906. C. H. HOWARD & H. M. PFLAGER.

RAILROAD CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNBQ. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906. C. H. HOWARD & H. M. PFLAGER.

RAILROAD GAR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2 in sans Inr OFFIO.

CLARENCE H'. HOWARD AND HARRY M. PFLAGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAELROAD-CAR..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1906. Serial No. 320.988.`

Patented Nov. 1 3 l 906.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern: A

Be it known that we, CLARENCE H.'How ARD and HARRY M. PFL'AGER, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented anew and The invention'consists in means for sugiporting and receiving the thrust of the vided portions of the side sills and other longitudinal members of the car-frame which are cut away or omitted-at the saidopening through the side of the car, for enabling the car-step hangers and steps to be fixed thereat Within the lane of the car side, combined withother fiiatures of novelty as hereinafter describedand claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, whereon Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a railroad passenger-car having its 'entranceopening through the side intermediate to the car-trucks and otherwise constructed according to our invention; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section to enlarged scale through the Wood plate and underframe of the car-body and combined parts of ourinvention at Vone side of the longitudinal center of the car, on line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3', asimilar view to Fig. 2, omitting the upright metallic sideframe seen therein around the entrance-o ening and forming part of our invention; 4, a vertical transverse section to enlarged scale throu h the said frame and through the side sill anfbelt-rail of the car-body, on line 4 4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a to plan view ofthe metallic sill-plate (seen in igs. 1, 2, 3, and 4) fixed to the underframe of the car and forming part of our invention; Fig. 6, a longitudiat each end of the car, and inlieu thereof form through one or each side of the car-Y body a intermediate to the car-trucks (not shown) an opening b, which forms the entrance to the car and is adapted to be o e'ned and closed', by two doors 1, hinged eit Ver to the sides 2, respectively, ,of an upright metallic frame c, surrounding the entrance-opening b and secured to the side ofthe car-body,

as hereinafter more particularly described,l or, when the frame c is omitted, to the up- .right posts 3 (indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3) or other suitable part-of the Woodwork adjacent to the openin b, the

doors 1 preferably meeting when, c osed at the middle of the opening b, as shown. y

- For formin the opening through the side of the car-body a We preferably cut away or omit a portion of the sideA sill 4 and adjacent belt-rail 5 and other longitudinal side members thereat (if any) corresponding lin length or thereabout to the width ofthe opening b,

in which case (assuming that an entrance-v vopenin b isformed through each side of the car-bo y and opposite to each other) the divided portions of the side sills-1, are supported by a `metallic base-plate d, (hereinafter termed sill-plate,) which v.is freferably composed of cast-steel integral-t oughout and in the present case extends entirely across the car-body, the sill-plate d being fixed to the divided portions of the side sills 4 and to the intermedi-ate and middle longitudinal sills 6 and 6', respectively, preferably on their under side, by bolts or otherwise (not shown,) which pass through the holes 7 therefor in the sill-plate d, Fig. 5, and through the sills 4, 6, and 6. In each side edge of the sill-plate d, preferably midway between its ends, is formed a rectan cess 8, which coincides Wit the entranceopening b and extends therefrom inwardly toward the'intermediate sill- 6 or middle of the car-body,'the recess 8 registerin with a simllar recessed opening 8', formed a ove the sill-plate d through the car-Hoor e.' On the ysill-plate d at or adjacent to the lateral and inner edges of each recess 8 are formed upright flan e's orwebs '9 and 10, respectively,

the inner ange 9 bearing, 1Lpreferably, against the outer upright face o the intermediate sill 6, to which it is fixed by bolts (or rivets) 11, and the lateral flanges 10 against the ends, respectively, of the separated portions of the side sill 4. The sill-plate d is preferably strengthened at each end and intermediate IOO llO

thereto by transverse depending ribs 12 12', the ribs 12 being preferably hush' with the lateral edges of the recesses 8.' Furthermore, on the sill-plate d are formed upri ht longitudinalflanges 13, which unite wit the lateral fianges 10 of the recesses 8 at right angles thereto and bear against the inside upright faces of the end portions, respectively, of the side sills 4, to which they are fixed by bolts (or rivets) 14, as shown. By this construction it will be noted that the divided end portions of each side sill 4 are practically held in housings therefor formed by the sill-plate d, combined with the flanges 10 and 13, the ends of the said portions abutting against the fianges 10, whereby the thrust or compressive force of each separated portion of the side sills 4 is transmitted to the sill-plate d and balanced by the opposing force of the corresponding opposing portions of the side sills 4; also, that by cutting away the side sill 4 and forming the recesses 8 and 8 in the sillplate d and car-floor e immediately behind each entrance-opening b we are enabled to fix the step-hangers 15, with the steps and risers 16 and 16, to the sides or flanges 1() of the recesses 8 within the plane of the car side.

From the sill-plate d depend the queenposts f for the truss-rods 17 of the car-body a, which are arranged and operate in the usual well-known manner, the queen-posts f in the present case being shown integral with the sill-plate d, or they may be of separate construction and fixed to the sill-plate d by bolts or otherwise.

Surrounding each entrance-opening and extending downward therefrom beneath the space occupied by the step-hangers 15 with their appurtenances is preferably arranged, in the present case, the upright rectangularshaped metallic side frame c, before referred to, composed, preferably, of cast-steel inte-V gral throughout and having extended side portions 18, which bear against, preferably, the upright faces of the end portions vof the divided side sill 4 and corresponding beltrail 5, the frame cfwhere it surrounds the entrance-opening b being preferably L-sha ed in cross-section, its inwardly-projecting egs 19 bearing at the sides of the frame c against the ends, respectively, of the separated portions of the belt-rail 5 and against the lateral flanges 10 of the recesses 8 through the sillplate d F1nd at the top against the under side ofthe 'ood plate 20, to which it is secured by bolts 21.

Projecting from the lateral extended portions 18 of the frame c are horizontal flanges 22, which, preferably, bear against the top side of the end portions, respectively, of the divided side sill 4, to which and to the sillplate d the flanges 22 are fixed by bolts (or rivets) 22', similar fiangesv 23 projecting from the lateral portions 18 of the frame c and preferably bearing against the under side of the end portions, respectively, of the corresponding divided belt-rail 5, the whole forming a rigid truss to the divided portions of the side sill 4 and to the side frame of the car-body at and adjacent to the entranceopening b.

The side frames c may be used either in combination with the sill-plate d, as deif, in which case the inwardly-projecting legs 19 of the L-shaped portion ofthe frame c, surrounding the entrance-opening b, will bear directly against the ends of the separated portions of the side sill 4, or the sill-plate (l may be used without the side frames c or opening b to the car is desired, in whieh case the sill-plate d may extend part way instead of entirely across the car-body. When the sill-plate d is used Without the side frames c, the end portions of the divided side sill 4, belt-rail. 5, and other divided longitudinal side members (if any) of the car-frame are united to each other by'the upright osts 3, before referred to and indicated lby t e dotted lines in Fi s. 1 and 3, which form the framework of t e entrance-opening b, or the divided portions of the said members may be otherwise connected together and arranged found most suitable. Furthermore, the sillplate d, whether used alone or in combination with the side frames c, may be made in two parts havin'r meetin flanges 24 (indicated by dotted llines in igs. 5 and 7) and secured together therethrough by bolts or rivets. (Not shown.)

Each recessed openinfT 8 through the earfioor e is adapted to be c osed and o ened by two trap-doors 25, which are hinge respectively, to the fioor e along the corresponding side of the opening S clear of the closed doors 1 as seen in YFi s. 1, 2, and 3, the trap-doors 25, when close together over the openings 8 and 8 forming practically a continuation of the car-floor e.

For opening the doors 1 the trap-doors 25 are first thrown upward on their hinges into -the upright position, which uncovers the floor-o enings 8 8, when the doors 1 are 'opene or swung inward against the tra doors 25 and access thereby obtained to t e ste s' 16 and entrance-opening b, the doors 1, wit the tra -doors 25, at the same time operating as si e screens to the floor-opening 8 and compelling passengers to enter and leave the openings S and 8 in a direction facing the entrance-opening b, and thereby preventingI accident.

We do not limit ourselves to the particular shape of the sill-plate d and side frames c nor to the means for adapting the same to support and receive the thrust of .the divided side sills 4 and other divided longitudlnal members of the car-frame described, and

scribed and shown, or without the sill-plate.

with one side frame c when only one entranceto form the framework of the openinfr b, as

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shown on the dravvings, as the sill-plate d and side frames c may be otherwise adapted for this pu ose as found most suitable in practice Wit out departing from the principle of our invention.

By this invention in dispensing with the ordinary end platforms and substituting therefor an opening through the side ofthe car near the middle of considerably less wid th than the space occupied by the platforms the inside free length, and consequently the seating capacity of the car, is increased and the entrance and exit of the passengers to and from the same facilitated by thereduced distance to be traveled, increased aisle-space also being lformed when the doors opposite to those in use are closed.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railroad passenger-car ofthe character described, having an entrance-opening through the side intermediate to the cartrucks and having the side sill divided thereat, the combination of a metallic plate fixed to the car-underframe and adapted to su port the separated portions of the said sill, and to form abutments to the ends of the said portions, the said plate having a recess therethrough coincident with the entranceopening and registering with a similar recessed opening in the car-floor, substantially as described and for the purpose sct forth.

2. In a railroad passenger-car of the character described, having an entrance-opening through lthe side intermediate to the cartrucks, andhaving the side sill divided thereat, the combination of a metallic plate fixed to the car-underframe and adapted to support the separated portions of the said sill and to form abutments to the ends ofthe said portions, the said plate having a recess therethrough coincident With the entranceopening and registering with a similar recessed opening in the car-floor, and means for closing and eXp-osin" the said openings respectively, substantial y as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In al railroad passenger-car of the character described, having an entrance-opening through the side intermediate to the cartrucks, and having the side sill divided th ereat the combination of a metallic plate xed to the car-underframe and adapt-ed to supi port the separated portions of the said sill and to form abutments to the ends of the said portions, the said plate having a recess v therethrough coincident with the entranceopening and registering with a similar recessedopening through the car-floor, an upright metallic frame surrounding the entrance-opening and extending downward therefrom, the said frame being adapted to bear a ainst the separated Aportions of the slde sil and belt rail, Aand means for xing the' frame to the said sill and rail, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribin Witnesses.

C JARENCE H. HOWARD. .HARRY M. PFLAGER. Witnesses:

EDWARD W FURRELL,

C. T. WEs'rLAKE. 

